title: Mutations in MC1R gene determine black coat color phenotype in Chinese sheep.
abstract: The melanocortin receptor 1 (MC1R) plays a central role in regulation of animal coat color formation. In this study, we sequenced the complete coding region and parts of the 5'- and 3'-untranslated regions of the MC1R gene in Chinese sheep with completely white (Large-tailed Han sheep), black (Minxian Black-fur sheep), and brown coat colors (Kazakh Fat-Rumped sheep). The results showed five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): two non-synonymous mutations previously associated with coat color (c.218 T>A, p.73 Met>Lys. c.361 G>A, p.121 Asp>Asn) and three synonymous mutations (c.429 C>T, p.143 Tyr>Tyr; c.600 T>G, p.200 Leu>Leu. c.735 C>T, p.245 Ile>Ile). Meanwhile, all mutations were detected in Minxian Black-fur sheep. However, the two nonsynonymous mutation sites were not in all studied breeds (Large-tailed Han, Small-tailed Han, Gansu Alpine Merino, and China Merino breeds), all of which are in white coat. A single haplotype AATGT (haplotype3) was uniquely associated with black coat color in Minxian Black-fur breed (P = 9.72E - 72, chi-square test). The first and second A alleles in this haplotype 3 represent location at 218 and 361 positions, respectively. Our results suggest that the mutations of MC1R gene are associated with black coat color phenotype in Chinese sheep.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu 476000, China.
authors.forename: Guang-Li
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Dong-Li
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lang
authors.forename: Yu-Tao
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shu-Ru
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Su-Li
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Yu-Zhu
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002681:China; D005838:Genotype; D006200:Hair Color / Q000235:genetics*; D009154:Mutation; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D044102:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D044102:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 1